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Energy Tomorrow is brought to you by the American Petroleum Institute (API), which is the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America's oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 500 corporate members, from the largest major oil company to the smallest of independents, come from all segments of the industry. They are producers, refiners, suppliers, pipeline operators and marine transporters, as well as service and supply companies that support all segments of the industry.

Here’s what we’ve learned since a 2013 study projected job and economic gains from exporting U.S. liquefied natural gas: The jobs and economic growth are still positive and significant, the domestic price impacts are about half of what was estimated four years ago and we have more natural gas than we thought.

A couple of new data points from the government show the importance of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to America’s trading posture and to its global energy security role, as a growing supplier of natural gas. First, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the U.S. exported more natural gas than it imported in three of the first five months of this year – February, April and May – which is historic since the U.S. has been a net importer (on an average annual basis) for nearly 60 years.

The Trump Administration issued its first LNG export approval, with the Energy Department authorizing the Golden Pass project in Texas to export up to 2.21 billion cubic feet per day to non-Free Trade Agreement countries. It’s a big step forward for the joint venture between ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and Qatar Petroleum, which filed its original application with DOE in August 2012 and expects the project to support 45,000 jobs over five years and 3,800 permanent jobs over the next 25 years of operation.

The global LNG market is developing, and the spot market’s growing liquidity could favor U.S. exporters, already benefiting from abundant domestic supply and ready access to the Panama Canal. America has the natural gas and access to markets. Artificial restrictions on LNG export project development should be removed. The potential benefits to the United States are significant.

There’s even more: U.S. exports of refined petroleum products are soaring. Here’s a chart developed from U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, showing that exports of refined products have more than doubled in the past decade to about 3 million barrels per day…

American energy also should be able to reach new markets abroad. Freely trading U.S. crude, LNG, petrochemicals and finished products made from petroleum and natural gas is key to strengthening U.S. competitiveness around the globe, economic growth and domestic energy production.

With legislation to streamline and expedite approvals for U.S. LNG export projects pending in Congress, the U.S. ambassadors of Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia wrote to congressional leaders this week, urging action. From their letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (letters also were sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi):

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Energy Tomorrow is a project of the American Petroleum Institute – the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America’s oil and natural gas industry – speaking for the industry to the public, Congress and the Executive Branch, state governments and the media.